Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has changed the midterm schedule that has been in use for years; students must now adapt to a major adjustment for their midterm week. This year’s schedule will now be two exams in the morning, stretching from 7:40 a.m. to 10:49 a.m., and having two full classes after the exams.

In previous years, the midterm schedule at MSD was two class exams in the morning, starting at 7:40 a.m. and ending at 11:40 a.m. After both exams were finished, students immediately went home, not having classes after the exams. This pior schedule would go throughout the whole week, counting class periods backwards starting with 8th period.

The new schedule started on Tuesday, Dec. 14 as a silver day with 1st and 2nd period exams. The following day will then switch to burgundy day with 5th and 6th period exams. The last two days of exams will continue to switch, with the two full periods following after the exams. For instance, after 1st and 2nd period exams on Tuesday, students went to their 3rd and 4th period classes.

Some students have ill feelings towards the new midterm schedule, not liking how it is now full school days instead of leaving school at 11:40 a.m.

“This year’s midterm schedule is quite the change,” senior Eric Harris said. “When I first saw the new schedule I was very confused, I was so accustomed to the previous schedule that it feels odd to get used to a new one.”

The reason for this change in the midterm schedule is to ensure MSD students meet their needed number of educational hours necessary to be eligible for graduation. This change comes after an audit was conducted during the 2020-2021 school year which found that MSD seniors would not meet the state educational hour requirement to graduate due to MSD’s adaptation of the A/B block schedule that was implemented during the 2017-2018 school year. With full midterm days, and other changes like the amount of time students have to transfer from class to class, students at MSD reach the needed hours.

“As much as I don’t like the new midterm schedule as I did the previous years, I understand that this is needed to fulfill the student and teacher contact time for graduation,” senior Julia Danois said. “This is my last year of high school and I want to make sure all my requirements for graduation are all done.”

If students would like to leave school after their exams, their parents must fill out a copy of the semester exams early sign out authorization form, as well as attach a clear copy of a parent’s driver’s license. The form must be filled out for each day the student is planning on leaving campus early.

“I don’t mind the midterm schedule as much as my other classmates do,” senior Zachary Page said. “The midterm schedule feels similar to the last one because we can just use the form to leave after our exams.”

The new midterm schedule will be one to get used to for previous students at MSD and for new students to continue on throughout the following school years.